A baseball opera: Josh Gibson's amazing story is being told on the stage

A baseball opera: Josh Gibson's amazing story is being told on the stage

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Updated: 8:20 PM EDT Apr 28, 2017

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WEBVTT WAY AT THE BENEDUM CENTERDOWNTOWN THROUGH THE MAGIC ANDMUSIC OF THE OPERAJOSH GIBSON IN THE 30'S AND 40'SWAS KNOWN AS THE BLACK BABERUTH.>> A LOT OF PEOPLE THOUGHT HEWOULD BE THE RIGHT PERSON TOBREAK THE COLOR BARRIER ANDBECOME THE FIRST PLAYER IN THEALL-WHITE MAJOR LEAGUES.ANDREW: BUT THE NEGRO LEAGUESTAR FROM PITTSBURGH FACEDDISCRIMINATION AND AN UNTIMELYDEATH, DENYING HIM A PLACE INBASEBALL HISTORY.>> THIS IS A GREAT TRAGEDY NOTJUST BECAUSE JOSH HAD A TUMOR,IT'S BECAUSE WE DID NOT GET TOSEE ONE OF THE GREATEST HITTERS,MAYBE ONE OF THE GREATESTHITTERS EVER.ANDREW: NOW, HIS STRY IS BEINGTOLD BY THE PITTSBURGH OPERA,"THE SUMMER KINGA PRODUCTION 10 YEARS IN THEMAKING.>> IT WAS THE DREAM FOR SURE,BUT IT TOOK A WHILE FOR THISPIECE TO GAIN SOME MOMENTUM BOTHE MAKING OF IT AND THEPOSSIBILITY OF IT BEINGPERFORMED.>> DID YOU JUST SEE JOSH GIBSONHIT THAT BALL?ANDREW: AND TO OVERCOME THECHALLENGE OF TELLING A SPORTSSTORY ON THE OPERA STAGE.>> JUST THE EXPERIENCE OF PEOPLEIN THE AUDIENCE WILL HAVE THEMTHINKING, WOW, THIS IS NOT WHATI EXPECTED OF OPERA AT ALL.I NEVER EXPECTED AN OPERA ABOUTA BASEBALL PLAYER.ANDREW: AND WHAT BETTER PLACEFOR "THE SUMMER KING'S" WORLDPREMIERE THAN PITTSBURGH.>> HE WAS AS PITTSBURGH ASPITTSBURGH COULD BE, SO I THINKPITTSBURGHERS SHOULD BE PROUDAND COME OUT AND SUPPORT IT.

A baseball opera: Josh Gibson's amazing story is being told on the stage

Many people thought Josh Gibson would be the person to break the color barrier in the major leagues. The story of the local Negro league star -- including the discrimination he faced and his untimely death -- are now being told by the Pittsburgh Opera in "The Summer King."

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"This is a great tragedy -- not just because Josh had a tumor. It's because we did not get to see maybe one of the greatest hitters ever," said Alfred Walker, who stars as Gibson in the new production.

Director Sam Helfrich says those who come to the Benedum Center will be surprised by how a sports story is told on the opera stage.

"Just the experience that people in the audience will have, thinking, 'Wow, this is not what I expected of opera at all. I never expected an opera about a baseball player,'" Helfrich said.

"He was as Pittsburgh as Pittsburgh could be, so I think Pittsburghers should be proud and come out and support it," Walker said.

Gibson hit 962 home runs and played for both the Homestead Grays and the Pittsburgh Crawfords in his career, which spanned 17 seasons in the 1930s and 40s. Considered one of the best power hitters of all time, he was posthumously inducted into the National Baseball Hall of Fame in 1972.